Wisconsin unemployment drops to 5.9 percent

Associated Press

April 17, 2014 - 12:20 PM

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin's unemployment is down to 5.9 percent, its lowest level since November 2008.

The state Department of Workforce Development reported Thursday that the unemployment rate was 5.9 percent in March, down from 6.1 percent in February. During that time the state added 6,400 private sector jobs.

The national unemployment rate last month was 6.7 percent.

Gov. Scott Walker has cautioned against putting too much weight on the monthly data, which is subject to significant revisions and based on a survey of just 3.5 percent of Wisconsin employers.

Instead, Walker has said quarterly data based on a census of 96 percent of businesses should be used to gauge employment in the state.